Photograph by: Megan Voss / Edmonton Journal
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Many of Premier Alison Redford’s MLAs and ministers are still deeply unhappy about her $45,000 trip to South Africa, but so far, the controversy has been trapped under a dome of official silence.

Until government MLA Steve Young took a phone call on Tuesday.

“The $45,000 is, I think, inconsistent with Alberta values,” Young told me. “It’s certainly the topic of conversation among my colleagues. I don’t know how I could say I’m happy about it.”

“My sense is that people are saying, ‘That $45,000, that’s not an Alberta value.’ It’s the non-adherence to our values, not necessarily the person.”

Asked if Redford should pay back the money, Young said: “That’s been suggested. There’s many ways to deal with mistakes. One is to say I’m sorry, another is to say I won’t do it again. One is to pay it back. It’s her call.”

Redford has expressed regret and apologized, but refused to repay any portion of the tab.

Young added: “People sometimes say to me: ‘Do you like the premier?’

“Liking doesn’t have anything to do with it. If I’m going for a beer, I’m not gonna go with her. I’m more likely to go for a beer with (Wildrose MLA) Ian Donovan.

“But it’s about the role (of premier), fulfilling the role, and the values and what’s best for the party and province.”

The Edmonton-Riverview MLA, who was Redford’s caucus whip until December, made the comments as restive government MLAs prepare for a caucus meeting Thursday, the first since the controversy exploded.

Until Young spoke, no Progressive Conservative MLA had uttered a public word of criticism. There’s still no word of defence, either.

Redford incurred the $45,000 travel cost during a five-day trip to South Africa for the observance of Nelson Mandela’s death in December.

Mixed in with the government’s “sunshine list” that showed high staff salaries, and last week’s court slapdown of a draconian labour law, the trip has quickly become a poisonous political symbol.

“It’s always how every conversation starts in the coffee shops, which to me is problematic, because I’m more of an advocate or policy conversation guy,” says Young.

Other MLAs and ministers privately exchange stories about the discontent they face in their ridings.

There’s some talk that the matter will be raised directly to Redford at the Thursday meeting.

Asked if he’d lead the way, Young simply said: “That’s a good question.”

The PCs will doubtless try to discredit Young as a man with a grudge.

Named by the premier as the associate minister of public safety on Dec. 6, she dumped him before the swearing-in ceremony the following week.

As an Edmonton police officer, Young had faced a disciplinary hearing for his role in the Tasering of a suspect in 2004.

The use of the Taser was ruled appropriate, but Young was charged with deceiving his superiors about his role.

Although he was fully exonerated, the investigator cast doubts on his story.

Redford said she hadn’t been aware of all the language in the ruling when she first appointed Young in December. She felt it raised concerns about his fitness to deal with the police in the public safety role. Calgarian Rick Fraser got the job.

Young says that episode isn’t behind his comments about the South Africa trip; rather, it’s his concern for staying true to what Albertans believe.

He’s been approached to cross the legislature floor but says he won’t do it.

“I won’t take my ball and go home. I felt, and still do, that it’s the PC party that represents the values (of Albertans). There’s no other party that represents those values.

“The reason I’m here is to do what’s best for Alberta — not for the premier, not for the province, and certainly not for myself.”

He won’t leave Redford’s caucus either, he says, because “for me, the only way to win a fight is inside the ring.”

That choice might no longer be his, because the premier rules the ring.

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